Chelsea back to winnings ways with 4-0 win over Villa
LONDON, Nov 9: A full-strength Chelsea got back to winning ways in the League Cup on Wednesday when they thrashed Aston Villa 4-0 while Arsenal and Liverpool joined them in the quarter-finals with 1-0 wins at Everton and Birmingham.
Tottenham Hotspur also got through but needed extra time to beat third division Port Vale 3-1 in the night's other fourth round tie.
Frank Lampard, Andriy Shevchenko, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba were on target for Chelsea as they roared back from Saturday's premier league defeat at Tottenham.
Lampard headed Chelsea into the lead in the 32nd minute from a pinpoint Michael Ballack cross and Shevchenko found the net with a close-range header after another perfect delivery from Lampard in the 65th.
Chelsea were in complete command and got the third eight minutes from time when fullback Geremi crossed for Essien and Drogba rounded things off soon after when he seized on a blocked Salomon Kalou effort.
Seven times winners Liverpool got their goal in the fourth minute of first half injury time when Birmingham failed to clear a corner and Danish defender Daniel Agger lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net.
The added time was the result of lengthy treatment for Mohamed Sissoko after the midfielder suffered what appeared a dislocated shoulder after falling awkwardly in the 26th minute.